


Levi Likes Pushing Kids Off Buildings

by Yukibae



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Backstory I didn't Write, Connie isn't the Avatar, Gen, I ship Levi and everyone, I think it had potential, Implied Relationships?, Non-Binary Hange Zoë, What even is the format, avatar AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-21
Updated: 2014-09-21
Packaged: 2018-02-18 05:05:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,544
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2336318
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yukibae/pseuds/Yukibae
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Eren is the Avatar, destined to save the world.</p>
<p>No one wants to teach him to Airbend.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Levi Likes Pushing Kids Off Buildings

**Author's Note:**

> I really wanted a plot heavy Avatar AU, that was filled with character development and conflict. But then this happened.

It was in the summer that Eren discovered that he was, dammit, the Avatar.

It was hardly like he had any grudge against the position, it was just that, well, his mom would be pissed, and Mikasa would probably never let him do any of his Avatar duties. She'd figure out a way to enter the Spirit World if it meant keeping an eye of him. His dad might actually talk to him, though, so that was a plus.

Either way, when Eren tried to bend a rock out of the road, he certainly hadn’t been expecting it to actually work. His eyes had flown to Mikasa, the resident earth bender, who looked alarmed. But not nearly as much as the situation called for. They stared at each other for three minutes, by Eren’s count, in dead silence. Eren begrudged Mikasa’s freaky ability to not blink for extended periods of time.

“Well,” she said suddenly, apparently tired of drying her eyes out, “your form was sloppy.”

Screw you, Mikasa. He had barely gotten decent at fire bending. 

______________________________

Eren’s mom had reacted first by smothering him with a hug, crying out about how proud she was. Then it had progressed to realization, upon where she gave him an extensive lecture on responsibility. Then the hug formed again, and she sobbed about how “her little boy was leaving home.” Mikasa had stood impassively to the entire thing, well out of range of the emotional zone. 

His mom, admittedly, had beat Eren to the epiphany that he would have to leave home to get training, and restore balance to the world. Neither of which he had any idea how to do. He’d lived in a bustling fire nation city his entire life, injustice and other cultures were foreign to him. He’d have no idea how to find bending masters. And he knew that the Firelord wasn’t exactly a benevolent ruler, but he certainly didn’t think that he needed to be eradicated for the sake of humanity. 

Nonetheless, his mom pulled out two suitcases after dinner and told Eren and Mikasa to begin packing their things. So much for missing her little boy.

______________________________

About three weeks after discovering he was the Avatar, the specialness wore off. The Jägers hadn’t wanted anyone to know prematurely, so Eren’s Avatar-ness had been kept secret. The only training he’d received was from Mikasa (a good teacher, yes, but Eren didn’t have much tolerance for being scolded by his sister).

Four weeks later, the Firelord had declared that all young and able fire benders past 13 would be drafted into the war against the Air Nomads. At twelve, Eren was just able to escape this. 

Five weeks later, descriptions of the easily victorious battle against the Eastern Air Temple was spread throughout the Fire Nation. Soldiers gleefully told tales of how the Air Nomads had fallen one by one to the righteous power of their army. Judging by the grins on their faces, they hadn’t actually fought in the battle.

Eren found a cause to restore balance in the world.

______________________________

A week later and Eren was bouncing off walls to get out of their home and in the battle against the Fire Lord. He’d heard stories of a Revolution against the Fire Lord. An armada of men and women from all nations and all bending studies. And non bending studies. They were supposedly lead by a wickedly cunning leader, an ex-general from the Firelord’s personal council, and humanity’s strongest bender. He was hell-bent on joining. 

Mikasa was worried.  
______________________________

“I’M FINE.”

“Tell that to mom’s vase."  
______________________________

It turned that Eren didn’t have to find the base of the Revolution, they came to him. A sure sign from fate, he told himself (making sure that no one noticed his newfound spiritualism, of course). He had been out to find his mother Chicken-Otter Skins when two boys about his age hurtled full speed into the cabbage cart. The poor man had recently rebuilt it too. One boy had dark hair and freckles, the other two-toned hair and a horse-ish face. They both wore fire nation clothing, though the freckled-one had distinctly water-tribe dark skin. 

A group of five soldiers followed them into the clearing. They looked to be the one’s returning from the battle against the Air Nomads. The market had cleared out, only Eren and Mikasa (and the crying cabbage merchant) left. They hid behind the fruit stand. 

“Jean, are you okay?” The freckled one said. So horse-face was Jean. 

“I’m fine,” Jean grunted out, He didn’t sound fine. He staggered to a stance. Firebender, by the looks of it, but it wasn’t a traditional pose. The other one did the same, though Eren would guess that he wasn’t a fire bender. His stance looked completely foreign. The foreigner's eyes flickered to the sides, taking in the surrounding area. Mikasa and Eren ducked. 

“Hand yourselves over,” the leading soldier said in a metallic voice.

“Never,” said the Freckled one, a tad cheesy, but made much more acceptable when he wrapped a tendril of water around the soldiers leg and threw him across the market. Eren came to the conclusion that they had to members of the revolution. He stood up to join them, and immediately fell back down. 

“Don’t, Eren,” Mikasa whispered, tightening the stone she’d wrapped around his foot. “You’ll get hurt.”

He glared at her.

She scowled back. “At least find out if they’re legitimate. If they lose this fight, its not what we’re looking for.” Eren beamed. She had used “we’re.” They were in this together. She released his foot. Eren slumped to the ground, peering over the melons.

The two had taken down two soldiers, with Jean and the other each engaging one. The fifth was missing. 

The fifth showed up behind Eren. He let out a growl as he blasted the man against the wall with a large rock. Followed by fire. 

Jean and his friend turned to him, having knocked the soldiers unconscious. 

“Agni,” Jean said, “ we’re gonna have to take you to Erwin.”

______________________________

They showed up at base three days later. They had travelled by air bison, which equally terrified and excited Eren. Mikasa had looked uneasy, missing the earth. 

It turned out that the Freckled one was named Marco, and he and Jean were part of the new recruits. Upon their return, they had rushed off to an office down the hall from Erwin’s, muttered about how _Levi was going to kill them for being late_. Eren shuddered. 

“Eren Jäger,” Eren said, introducing himself.

“Mikasa Ackerman.”

“Excellent to meet you,” Erwin said. His eyebrows were massive. “I’m Erwin Smith, leader of the Legion Rebellion. And you’re the Avatar.”

“I am.”

“You do realize that you could be the make-or-break against the Firelord.”

“I am ready to fight.”

“Then, welcome.”  
______________________________

They cut to intensive training immediately. There were group sessions to practice general form and bending techniques, and then there were private lessons that made you question your self worth as a bender. And while most soldiers only had to take one element, Eren got the _honor_ of taking all four. Along with the Avatar-bridge-between-worlds lessons. Spirits, he was fairly sure it would be easier to charge in and kill the Firelord now than complete the training from hell. 

Eren’s Spirit advisor and new best friend (he only had Mikasa before, it wasn’t really that hard to add another) was Armin Arlert. An Airbender from the Western Air Temple. His hair was grown blond over his arrows, apparently so that he could walk among the Fire Nation without getting caught. 

“Are you gonna teach me air bending?” Eren had asked him.

Armin shook his head. “I’m not really much for fighting. Well, no airbender should be, but you’re not exactly the pacifist type.” 

“If you’re referring to that one time, it was an accident.”

“You threw him into a wall, Eren. It took Marco three hours to heal his broken arm.”

“Jean deserved it.”

“It was a pudding, Eren. A pudding."  
______________________________

“Start the drill over,” Levi yelled. 

“Isn’t that a bit harsh?” Petra asked, laughing as Connie the Airbender fell over. Though she pitied those who had to take Levi’s hand to hand combat class, she knew that his methods did produce results. Her, and the rest of the Special Operation’s Squad, preferred a softer approach to teaching. 

“They move about as well as a shitting turtle.”

Petra giggled. His ‘jokes’ got more obscure the longer you knew him. “They’re still new. You really oughta cut them some slack.” He said nothing. “You of all people should know that it isn’t right to force children so early on.” Levi continued to remain silent. Petra looked at him imploringly. She was one of the few people who had to actually look up at him. 

“You see that one,” Levi said, gesturing to Eren. 

“That would be the Avatar, yes.”

“He’s the worst one. If he doesn’t pull his shit together, we’re all screwed.”  
______________________________

“AGNI DAMN IT,” Eren cried. He could earthbend with Petra, firebend with Erd and Auruo, waterbend with Gunther, but spirits forbid that he be able to make one little gust of wind. 

“You have to calm down,” Nanaba urged. “You will never air bend if you can’t release your earthly desires.”

“I AM CALM.”

“You’re really not,” Connie said.

“Thank you for that observation, Connie, I’ll remember that.”

“You know what, Eren, screw you.” Connie struck a foot out, blasting Eren against a tree. “There’s barely any time until the solstice, and I’m done with this.”

“I’m trying,” Eren said. Connie didn’t have to learn all four elements. Connie didn’t have to take a crash course in all bending philosophies. Connie could airbend. But Eren had three other elements at his disposal. Eren chucked a boulder at Connie, who twirled out of the way. 

“That’s enough,” Nanaba said, her voice level. Eren threw another rock at Connie. 

“I said, that’s enough.” She threw her hands out in their directions, lifting them off the ground. “I _will not_ stand this.”

She strode away.  
______________________________

“Nana?”

“Go away Erwin.”

“You need to-“

“GO AWAY."  
______________________________

“C’mon Eren, just a little poking and prodding?” Hanji begged. They had wanted to “figure out how the Avatar ticks” ever since he had showed up.

“Please Hanji, not now.”

“What if I said I could get you an airbending master?”

“Nanaba and Connie won’t talk to me, and Armin won’t teach.”

“Hm? Them? I meant Levi. He’s a airbender, don’t cha know?”

“What.”  
______________________________

“Levi?”

“Go the fuck away Erwin.”

“It’s actually Hanji.”

“Do I still have to teach the brat?”

“Yes.”

“I hate you.”

“Then why’d you let me into your room?”

Squad Leader Hanji was found the next morning with several bruises on the back of her head.  
______________________________

Eren was nervous. Really nervous. He was told that Levi had an unorthodox style of Airbending, which is why they didn’t want him teaching Eren unless necessary (it wasn’t really good form to have the Avatar not know proper Airbending tradition). Levi looked, dressed, and acted like a firebender though, so it really couldn’t be that bad. Eren wouldn’t have to deal with the Air Nomad’s spirituality. They both had presumably grown up in the Fire Nation. Then again, they were both there to kill the leader of said nation. 

Levi stood just out of Eren’s striking range. “Firebend.” He said flatly.

“Why?” He lit a fire above his right hand. 

“Do as I say. Water.” Eren looked around, extinguishing the fire. He found a puddle a bit away from him. He floated the water towards him. 

“Earth.” Eren stomped, snagging a piece of rock away from the ground. 

“Air.” A small cyclone formed in Eren’s hand before disappearing within a heartbeat. 

“That wasn’t so fucking hard, was it.”  
______________________________

It turned out that Levi’s air bending had more to do with feeling your way through the air, than disconnecting yourself from the ground. Eren was much more reactive to that. Eren was creating gusts of wind within days, though his control was lacking. Nanaba began to refer to Levi strictly as “The Miracle Worker.” 

“Not bad,” Levi said one evening after one of his favorite air bending exercises. He called it Reactive Training. Eren called it Push The Guy Off A Building And Hope He Doesn’t Die. The first six times he had had to firebend his way out. He was actually doing it with air, now. 

“Really?” Eren asked, sounding entirely too much like a puppy for his own good. He cleared his throat. “I mean, thank you.”

Levi sat next to him, making a plopping noise when he hit the ground. He really did act more like a fire nation thug than an airbender. Which, incidentally, was the rumor going around. Eren didn’t know if it was true, or just a myth based on the man’s lack of Arrow markings. 

“May I ask a question?” Eren said. 

Levi considered. “I don’t have to answer.”

“I was just wondering… How’d you get the title Humanity’s Strongest?”

“Airbender’s swear to never hurt another with their bending. I didn’t take that promise.” It was an ambiguous enough answer, but one Eren thought best to let go. His face scrunched up in confusion, no less. 

“Heard of bloodbending?” Levi asked, seeing his discomposure.

“Yes. It’s forbidden.”

“Consider that, but with airbending.” Levi stood up, and made his leave.  
______________________________

“Is it true that you can bend all four elements now?” Sasha asked, eyes wide. As a non bender, she’d always been curious, and a little jealous, towards benders. Yes, she had her trusty bow and arrows, but they really weren’t much in face of, for example, metal bender like Mikasa. She had chi-blocked Mikasa before though, in a group exercise. It was one of the highlights of her life. 

“Well, kinda,” Eren said awkwardly, holding his hand up. A small little tornado appeared in his palm. The crowd of recruits looked impressed, Jean begrudgingly. Even Annie had a smile playing at her lips. She had heavily tutored Eren in waterbending. Annie was the best ice-bender in all of Legion, veterans included. But she couldn’t heal at all. 

“That’s great, Eren!” Armin said enthusiastically. 

“I’m really not that good at it yet—“ Eren tried, but he was cut off by Krista. 

“We should celebrate,” she remarked innocently. It was a strange thing to say in such dire times, but oddly fitting. That, and anything to get Rabbit-Ox meat sounded excellent in Sasha’s ears.  
______________________________

“Lighten up, Levi,” Erwin muttered, handing him a glass of (if anyone asked) not-alchohol. “They should celebrate once in a while, keeps up morale.”

He downed the glass in one gulp. “Who cares about morale? Who do you think had to show Eren how to "airbend-inflate" balloons?

Erwin laughed. Levi took another not-shot. 

“Please take some helium for me,” Hanji said. “That way your voice will match your height.”

The fight against the Firelord paled in comparison to the events of that night. 

______________________________

It was in the Summer that Eren discovered that he was the Avatar.

It was in the Summer that the balance was restored to the world.

**Author's Note:**

> Un-beta-ed.  
> Please point out any errors. I'm fairly sure I spelled the Special Operation Squad's names six different ways.  
> Its supposed to take place, by the way, somewhere around the time that Fire Lord Azulon began his world domination.  
> Hope you enjoyed it~


End file.
